Orange Teachers Asking For A 'Reasonable' 31% Raise

Orange County schoolteachers Thursday asked for a whopping 31 percent average pay raise that would put them among the highest-paid teachers in the nation and cost $34 million.

Union officials said the proposal was intended to expose the ''empty lies'' of the state Legislature's promise to put Florida teachers' salaries in the top 12 among states by next year.

Teachers in those states average $26,800, or $4,550 more than Florida teachers and $5,763 more than those in Orange County.

Union officials, who were exchanging proposals with school board representatives in preparation for the start of labor talks May 28, also asked for a three-year plan that would raise pay to $300 above the state average by the 1988-89 school year.

The school board countered with an opening offer of no pay raise.

''That's not meant to be indicative of a lack of concern on our part,'' said Finance Director Dennis Reussow, the board's chief negotiator.

''At this time we have no idea how much revenue we will have for salaries. If we made any kind of an offer and couldn't fund it, we would be in serious trouble,'' Reussow said.

Orange County ranks 58th out of 67 school districts in terms of money available per student, he said.

''It's difficult to pay above-average salaries with below-average revenues,'' he said. Orange has joined several school districts in challenging the state system for doling out educational funds.

School board officials left the door open for negotiation of a plan to give exceptional teachers additional pay. The union has opposed merit pay plans.

John Robinson, chief labor negotiator and executive director of the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association, said the proposal for a 31 percent increase is ''reasonable and fair.'' But he said the three-year plan is ''more realistic.''

A 31 percent raise would boost the average Orange teacher pay to $27,558, a $6,521 increase that would put the district near the top nationally.

The salary for beginning teachers would rise from $16,000 to $20,000, a 25 percent increase, but union officials said they want the biggest pay raises for teachers with at least three years' experience.

The plan, however, would cost the school district an extra $34 million, compared with the extra $6 million it spent last year on raises, Robinson said. Orange now spends about $110 million a year on teacher salaries, he said.

Reussow called the union's proposal ''symbolic.''

''I think their statement is directed at people in Tallahassee that led them to believe that's where their salary should be now,'' he said. ''I think it's a symbolic opening statement not directed at the board.''

Teacher pay in Orange compares poorly with other large Florida districts and is ''totally unacceptable,'' said Robinson and union President Ann Winn.

Last year Orange County teachers were paid $545 less than the state average and ranked 13th in Florida.

This year their average pay rose to $21,037 after a 5.5 percent pay raise, but that was $1,213 below the $22,250 state average and the district ranking slipped to 27th, Robinson said.

The union also wants to:

-- Exempt teachers from many chores outside the classroom, such as clerical work and monitoring bathrooms, parking lots and bicycle racks.

-- Let school out early to give elementary and junior high teachers time for planning, staff meetings and conferences with parents. In high schools, teachers would have 30 minutes at the beginning or end of school for conferences and staff meetings.